San Francisco (May 22, 2002) – Will it be Ozzy or Regis? The U.S. Army or the Peace Corps? David Beckham or Terrell Owens?

A virtual clash of titans is raging as the public votes for its favorite Web sites of the year in The People’s Voice Awards (http://www.webbyawards.com/peoplesvoice/), The Webby Awards’ annual tribute to democracy on the Web.

With less than three weeks left before the June 7th voting deadline, Webby Awards organizers are reporting a surge of interest in this year’s People’s Voice Awards, with tight races and spirited write-in campaigns underway in several categories.

In a sign of just how coveted a Webby People’s Voice Award has become around the globe, SciTechDaily.com (http://scitechdaily.com), a New Zealand-based nominee in the Science category, has launched a nationwide effort to encourage fellow Kiwis to vote for the site. The centerpiece of the campaign will be a public fireworks extravaganza on May 23 in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as a celebration of “sites that pave important paths to the Internet’s next phase,” The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for Web sites and individual achievement in creativity and technology. The awards are determined by the Academy, a diverse, 350-person organization whose membership includes Francis Ford Coppola, David Bowie, Esther Dyson, Rob Glaser, Vint Cerf, and Susan Sarandon.

The Webby Awards and People?s Voice Awards voting process is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

About the Webby Awards
Founded in 1996, The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for consumer Web sites and individual achievement in technology and creativity. The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences selects the nominees, winners, and presents the awards event. Sponsors for The Sixth Annual Webby Awards include SBC, International Data Group (IDG), Getty Images, Hewlett-Packard, The Creative Group, Google, Elias Arts and partner Nielsen//NetRatings. Balloting is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers. For more information visit http://www.webbyawards.com.

About the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences

The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the creative, technical, and professional progress of the Internet and evolving forms of interactive media. The Academy’s goal is to assemble a brilliant panel of leading new media experts, visionaries, journalists, and luminaries to propel the Internet and Interactive Technology into the future. The Academy is an intellectually diverse organization that includes over 350 members such as Francis Ford Coppola, Bjork, Tina Brown, Esther Dyson, Matt Groening, Ira Glass, and Larry Ellison. Members also include writers and editors from publications such as The New York Times, Wired, Forbes, Details, Fast Company, Elle, The Los Angeles Times, Vibe, and wallpaper*. For more information, visit www.iadas.net.